Informed Democracy is a media organization founded by George Levenson in 1986
based in Santa Cruz, California. We produce and distribute educational resources
in conjunction with our larger objective to create media suitable for young audiences
about the natural environment and global understanding. The work of Informed
Democracy is inspired by two great American heroes. One is Thomas Jefferson who
said "An informed democracy will behave in a responsible fashion." The
other is John Chapman, also known as Johnny Appleseed, whose generous spirit
originated the apple groves of America. In our media centered world, audio-visual
information is the seed that blossoms into awareness, action, and ultimately
social change.

George Levenson produced the award winning video Sadako and the Thousand
Paper
Cranes based on the classic book by Eleanor Coerr about Sadako Sasaki,
a 12 year old girl from Hiroshima, Japan, who folded origami cranes after developing
leukemia
from radiation caused by the atom bomb at the end of World War II. He also produced
the companion instructional video, How To Fold A Paper Crane. The programs are
designed to help educators use the true story of Sadako to teach children about
the power of one person to create change, the long term consequences of war,
and the values that are cherished by all cultures. Used in schools across the
country for Social studies, multi-cultural studies, history,language arts, art,
environmental education. Suitable for ages 8 and up. For more information and
reviews visit our SADAKO website.

PUMPKIN CIRCLE: The Story of A Garden. The Story of A Garden is
an award-winning video and picture book, also produced by George Levenson.
This project is designed to show elementary school children the miraculous
cycle of nature in a backyard pumpkin patch. Pumpkin Circle is a 20 minute
live action video narrated in verse by Danny Glover with original music by
George Winston. The video shows the changes in the plants over the four seasons
with seeds sprouting, flowers opening, bees buzzing, pumpkins growing, and
jack-o-lanterns glowing. The picture book, also written in verse, is filled
with dramatic color photographs and allows children to learn the story of
this amazing plant at their own pace. The video and book are perfect for
Fall pumpkin studies, Springtime planting, science, environmental education
and language arts. Suitable for ages 4 and up. The book and video are also
available in Spanish -- EL CÍRCULO DE LAS CALABAZAS: Historia de un
huerto. For more information and reviews visit our PUMPKIN
CIRCLE website.

This newly released 22
minute video (June,2003) narrated in verse by Lily Tomlin with music by George
Winston, tells the story of bread from a garden of wheat to a loaf to eat.
The program is for the early elementary curriculum, and its purpose is to
inspire wonder and provide information about the food we eat as well as the
process and the people who bring bread into the world. Whether it's buttering
morning toast, pulling a sandwich out of lunchbox, or eating pizza for dinner,
bread is a cornerstone of every child's diet. Yet many have never seen a
field of wheat, mixed and kneaded a lump of dough, or tasted a loaf fresh
out of the oven. Using live-action footage, time lapse-photography and animations,
BREAD COMES TO LIFE shows the sowing, growing, reaping,
threshing, milling, mixing, kneading, shaping rising, baking and breaking
of bread in a garden
and home setting as well as on a farm and in a large mill and a commercial
bakery. Ages 4 and up. For more information visit our BREAD
COMES TO LIFE website.